Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi’s screen time in the film will also be greatly reduced. The 31-year-old was recently embroiled in a donation fund scandal for not giving the full amount of one million yuan she promised to remit to the Sichuan earthquake.

And that is not the end of the development hell for the film project. The crew was not given the green light to shoot in Foshan, China, and had no choice but to relocate to Shenyang. As filming conditions in Shenyang were undesirable, the schedule got further pushed back.

In 2004, Leung, who plays Ip Man, was slated to begin martial arts training for his role in the film. However, Leung suffered a ski injury and had to rest for six months, causing filming for “The Grand Master” to be pushed back.

A visionary and an exceptional director of Hong Kong cinema, Patrick Lung Kong was ahead of his time in farsighted portrayals of neglected issues and bold confrontations of sensitive social topics. He left an indelible imprint as one of the most original and uncompromising auteurs of the 1960s and 70s. His unique approach to filmmaking might have been met with mixed reactions but his influence is long-lasting.

Chen Kaige’s Zhao’s Orphan set to begin filming at the end of March has been delayed due to delay in constructing the set. This puts the target for next year’s Lunar New Year in jeopardy. (Sina)

Two more sneak into Toronto lineup
The Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday made two last-minute bookings for Iranian director Hana Makhmalbaf’s “Green Days” and “The Warrior and the Wolf,” a combat epic from Chinese director Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Taipei Times: Hear Me review
A love story in silence
Blatant product placement for the Taipei City Government mars an otherwise enjoyable boy-meets-girl tale

Taipei Times - short takes

Let’s Fall in Love (尋情歷險記)
Also making use of Chinese Valentine’s Day is this up-close-and-personal Taiwanese documentary enjoying a proper release with a new promotional campaign. Twenty-odd married couples come under the spotlight with their relationship problems and weaknesses, together with the intriguing matchmaker-counselor whom all of them share. From award-winning director Wuna Wu (吳汰紝), who had to solicit hundreds of small investors to get this film into theaters.

The Forbidden Legend: Sex & Chopsticks 2 (金瓶梅2：愛的奴隸)
Sweaty and kinky sex for its own sake is a rare bird on the Taiwanese big screen these days. We haven’t had a soft porn extravaganza since, well, the original Sex & Chopsticks late last year. Japanese hardcore actresses Hikaru Wakana (with head still shaved), Kaera Uehara, Serina Hayakawa and Yui Morikawa secure another Hong Kong work visa to tell, for the umpteenth time, the misadventures of barely robed courtesans. But tableware fetishists will likely feel misled all over again; the Chinese title (“The Golden Lotus 2: Slaves of Love”) is more faithful to what’s on show.

Rookies: Graduation
And so, back to a movie based on a Japanese manga. A bunch of good-for-nothing punks regain self-respect and team spirit after their charismatic high school teacher shapes them into a formidable baseball team. This is a theatrical follow-up to a TV series based on the popular manga series Rookies. But unless you’re a baseball tragic or swoon at the sight of “bad boys” with trendy shocks of hair and perfect skin, this attempt at inspiration won’t mean a pitcher’s mound of beans. The Bad News Bears it ain’t.

KJ (音樂人生)
The poster for this Hong Kong documentary says it all: a boy sitting alone in an auditorium. The boy is “KJ,” a brilliant pianist with a bright future in store, though the film covers much wider, and occasionally darker, ground, which makes it an ideal companion to Four Minutes. With respected director Ann Hui (�?�) as consultant, this study of individual genius in a society that tends to stifle it has the stamp of quality. Six years in the making, KJ is screening exclusively at the Wonderful Cinemas complex in Taichung.http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2009/08/28/2003452150